Internal-combustion turbine.



'c. E. F. AHLM & c. E. COCHRAN. INTERNAL cownsusnom TURBINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 28. I913.

Patented Apr. 13, 1915.

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C. E. F. AHLM 8; C. E. COCHRAN.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION TURBINE. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 28, 1913.

Patented Apr. 13, 1915.

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C. E. F. AHLM 84 C. E. COCHRAN.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION TURBINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 28, I913.

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INTERNAL-@OMEUSTTON T'UTNJE.

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specification of Letters Patent.

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Application filed November 28, 1913. Serial Ito. 803,372.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, 'CnAnnns E. 18. Alumni and CLYDE E. COGHRAN, citizens of the United States, and both residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of O hio, have invented a certain new and "useful Improvement in Tnternal-Combustion Turbines, of which the following-is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. 7

The object of this invention is to provide a turbine engine adapted to be operated by I them.

having helical ribs and therefore similar to herring-bone or spiral gears, which by meshing together act to draw in and compress the fuel, and we provide adjacent these members a similar pair of rotary members adapted to be rotated by the combustion of hydrocarbon fuel, acting circumferentially on Uur invention in .a preferred form, is

\ hereinafter more fully described in connection with the drawings, and the essential characteristics are et forth in the claims.

l igure Tie a si e elevation of our engine complete; Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same; Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on the am's of one ofthe. rotary members showing that member in elevation;

Fig. l is a vertical transverse section of the casing taken substantially on the line Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section taken between two sets of rotary members; Fig. 61

is an elevation of one of the divisional plates.

h pairof rotary members 10 are mounted on shafts 12 and 13 and have on their pcriphery helical ribs ll. The ribs 14 of one of therotary members are adapted to enter other rotary member. These'ribs diverge from an intermediate point 16, pass not more than once around the member and run out at the end, as at 1?. Un each member are two sets of these ribs'll, forming of these members, substantially double or more thread worm .gear's having their threads joined at anintermediate pointand diverging in opposite spirals, that .is one in a right" hand direction and one a left hand direction A casing 18 has two cylindrical bores 19 and 20, each surrounding one of the rotary members 10, except at the point where I the ribs of these members mesh through a: communicating opening 21 formed betw.-, the bores.

Contiguous with the ends of the rotary members 10, are transverse plates 22 and 23' each having suitable bearings 24:, 24:, forthe" shafts l2 and 13. Carried on the shafts 12 and 13 are two pairs of driving rotary members 25 and26 each having one side contiguone with one of these plates. A casing 28 is rovided with two communicating bores 30 into which are fitted the members 25., having their ribs 31 meshing through an opening 33 between these bores. This casing has an end wall 35 closing the bores and fitting on the inside against each of the rotary members 25. Bearings '36, for the ends of theushafts 12 and 13, are provided in this we n The pair of rotary members 26 is covered by a similar casing 37 having communicating bores 38 fitting the ribs 39 of these mem bers. An end wall it) closes the bores, fits against the ends of therotary members, and

is provided with bearings d2 for the shafts 12 and'13. The shafts 12 and 13 project outside of these hearings, and on the end of the shaft 12 is provided a spur gear 44:, meshing with a spur gear d5, of equal size, on the shaft 13. The pitch diameter of these gears is equal to the distance between the centers of the two shafts 12 and13. This insures the helical ribs on the rotary members meshing together, without binding one on another as would be the case if one rotary member were to drive the other by the engagement of these ribs.

suitable pulley 46 for a driving belt may be provided on either of these shafts." As shown, it is rigidly carried'on the outer end of the shaft 13. These casings 18, 28 and 37 are secured in position, with the plates 22 and 23 between them, by means of tie bolts 17 passing through longitudinal projections 48 on the casings and plates. Each bolt has ahead 50 at on'eend, and a threaded portion at the opposite end adapted to receive nuts 51. By simply removing these nuts 31- and the bolts 47- the entire casing may be taken-"apart. This construction also provides for conveniently assembling The engine as a whole may be supported in any suitable manner. As shown in the drawings, it is supported on pairs of legs 52, 52 and 53, 53 made integral with the casings 37 and 28 respectively, and having feet 54 by which the engine may be secured to a suitable foundation.

In the upper portion of the casing 18 is an air inlet passage 56 leading from the top of the casing to the point of intersection of the two bores 19 and 20. A passage 58 in the plate 23 leads from a point below the center adjacent the communicating openings 21 between the two bores 19 and 20, to a point above the center in the communicating opening 33, between the two bores 30 and the casing 28. A similar passage 59 through the plate 22 leads from between the-two bores 19 and 20 to a point between the two bores 38of the casing 37. These passages are of such width that they communicate with the grooves of both rotary members of each pair, as indicated in Fig. 4:. Leading to the intermediate portion of each of these passages 58 and 59 are tubes 60 and 61, each carried by the plates. 22 and 23, and having, their upper ends closed except for a series of small perforations'62 adapted to spray the fuel into the passages 58 and 59. Tubes63 and 64 lead to the tubes 60 and 61 and are connected by a tube 65 to which .is connected a pipe 66. A suitable check valve 68 may be provided in this pipe to prevent the fuel under pressure in the engine backing up in this pipe. The tubes just described are for the intake of the fuel which is ignited in the passages 58 and 59, and exhausts after combustion by following the grooves between the ribs of the rotary members 25 and 26 to the end walls 35 and 40, which are provided with annular grooves 7 0 and 71, each registering with .the space formed between the bores and the bottom of the grooves between the ribs. Exhaust ports 72 and 73 lead from these grooves 70 and 71 respectively, through the walls 35 and 40.

Now, the operation of our engine is as follows: To start, the engine is rotated manually, or by any external power, in the direction of the arrows in Fig. 4. This draws in a charge of air through the passage 56 by reason of the space 75 between the ribs 1 at the point of their convergence coming into communication with this passage and enlarging by moving away from the passage. As soon as the next converging point 16 of the ribs comes to the opening of the passage 56 it is closed, imprisoning the air in this triangular space, which is formed between the ribs 14, the bottom of the grooves, and the bore surrounding the member. It is prevented from flowing backwardly past the point of meshing of the ribs of the members, as the ribs of one member are so fitted into the grooves of the other that they form in them substantially air-tight dams. As

the member continues to turn, the air space is brought around the member until the apex of the space .75 is occupied by the corresponding point 16 of the ribs of the other member. This divides the charge of air into two of the grooves between the ribs 1 1 and occupies these grooves substantially throughout their length, one around the member from the point of meshing of one rib to the point of meshing of the next rib, which comes at the end of the rotary member. Still further movement of this member compresses their air by bringing it along the member to the plates 22 and 23, where the space it occupies is shortened by the ends of the grooves coming toward the point where the members mesh until the air stands in a small triangular space between one of the ribs 14:, where they run out at the ends of the rotary member between the adjacent plate 22 or 23 and between the ribs of the other rotary member, which fill or plug these grooves. Now, the air is very highly compressed in these spaces and is brought at once, by the turning of these members, into communication with passages 58 and 59, through which it instantaneously expands into corresponding triangular spaces 77 on the opposite side of the center line of the meshing point, between the ribs of one of the members of each pair 25 and 26. The

further turning of the members 10 brings the ends of the ribs, against which the air was thus compressed, past openings of these passages, forcing the entire charge of air through the passages and then closing them .until the next grooves of the member are brought into communication with these passages bringing another charge of air compressed in the same manner.

When the charge of air passes through the passages 58 and 59 it atomizes some" of the hydrocarbon fuel in the tubes 60 and 61, thus carrying into the triangular spaces 77 an explosive mixture which is ignited in these passages. The expansion consequent upon combustion presses circumferentially against the rib forming one wall of the triangular spaces and rotates these members until it has expanded to fill a groove leadin around the 'members; here it passes out o the end of the groove between the ribs of the driving rotary members into these exhaust grooves, and thence from the exhaust ports 72 and 73 at a low pressure, its energy When the engine has beeh rotated a few times after starting, the parts adjacent the passages 58 and 59 become so highly heated that, when the air under compression atomizes a charge of fuel in these passages formplugs 80 and 81" may be provided, in each rdtt of the plates 22 and 23, having their points 82 adjacent the ends of the tubes and till.

'lhese may produce a continuous spark while in use, as it is desired to-ignite the charge as it passes through the plates, there being no necessity for timing the spark with relation to the rotation of the rotary members. 'lhe grooves on the driving rotary members 25 and 26 are so positioned with relation to the ribs on the members it), that the triangular space into which the explosive charge expands is, throu 'h'the moment of such expansion, larger t an the space from which the charge is forced, through the passages 58 and 59. This is'to allow for the instantaneous increase in the volume of the explosive charge, due to their 'tion and the corresponding rise in temperature, and prevents any further increase in pressure which would cause too high a temperature adjacent these parts.

Water spaces 84L and 85 are formed substantially entirely around the casings 28- and 37, communicating with a water space 86 in the casing 18, through passages 88, in

the'plates 22 and 23. An inlet port 90 is provided in the casing 28 to which water may be supplied through a suitable pipe 91'.

The water on becoming heated passes upwardly and out through an outlet port 94 v in the casing 37, at the other end of the engine, and through a pipe 95 away from the engine.

huel may be supplied constant supply of fuel, which is atomized through the small openings 82 into the-pass sages 58 and 59 whenever one of the ribs it on one of the rotary compressing members 10 compresses a charge of air whichescapes through these openings. 4 The ignition of the combustible charge produces such a high pressure against the incline of one side of the rules on the rotary driving members,-

af-ter passing through thes passages, that thereis far eater pressure exerted in the circumferential direction to rotate these. members than there is resistance odered by I the charge being compressed; Accordingly,

these members are rotated with much force and great rapidity.

it will be seen :1, nan

I under slight'pree sure through the pipe 66, thusinsuring a from the foregoing descriptiomjthat we have provided an engine 1 which is capable or vary to rotation and aeeordmgty is capable at producing. a high power for its size and weight, as we as resenting avery neat appearance.

aving thus described our invention, what we claim is:

l, lln a turbine engine, the combination of a pair of rotary member's-each having ribs and grooves on its periphery, the ribs of one member adapted to enter the grooves of another, a, casing surrounding said rotary members having bores fitting the peripheryof the ribs, an inlet port, rotary members for compressing a charge of air and discharging it through said inlet port thereafterclosing the same, and an exhaust passage leading from the rotary members.

- 2. In a turbine engine, the combination of a pair of rotary members each having ribs and grooves on its periphery, a casing surrounding said members having an inlet port,

a second pair of rotary members in axial alinement with the first pair-and connected therewith and having coacting ribs and ooves, a passage for air leading from the st mentioned pair of members to the secon-d: mentioned pair, said first mentioned pair of members being adapted to compress a charge ofair and force the same "through said passage, said members thereafter successively. closing saidpassage.

- 3. A turbine engine comprising a -.combi-- nation ofa of rotary members each having helical ribs and grooves on' its petoo surrounding the members, i a ringing the charge of fuetto a member by its expansion in the groove,' .a n*d e haust port through which the c "artg' escapes after rotating the member.

d. A turbine engine comprising the combination of a cylindrical rotary member.

having helical ribs and grooves on its periphery, a casing surrounding said member having bores into which the ribs fit, means adapted to "fit into the grooves at onesideof the mounting of the rotary member while allowingthemember to rotate, an inlet passage in the casing communicating with these grooves at one end of the rotary member adjacent said means, rotary compressors adapted to alternately force fluid through the passage and close the same, and an exhaust port communicating with the grooves at the other end of the rotary vmember.

5. A turbine engine, comprising a pair ff 't cylindrical rotary members each having helical ribs and grooves on its periphery,

ribs jbn one member adapted to grooves oftheothermember, a second P of rotary members in axial alinement with a the first pair, a casing having two cylindrical bores fitting the ribs of each member and communicating ,at a point where the ribs mesh with the grooves, an inlet passage adjacent the point of meshing communicating with the grooves of the first mentioned rotary members, a passage leading from below the point of meshing of one pair of members to a point above the point of meshing on the other pair of members and communicating with the ends of the grooves of each pair of members, said second-named members being adapted to compress air and force the same from the last mentioned passage and thereafter close the same, a fuel inlet in this passage, and an exhaust port communicating with the ends of the grooves in the first mentioned pair of members;

6. A turbine engine, comprising a pair of cylindrical rotary members each having helical ribs and grooves on its periphery, said ribs and grooves diverging in opposite directions from an intermediate point on each member, the ribs of one adapted to mesh with the grooves of the other, a pair of similar cylindrical rotary members on each side of the first mentioned pair having helical ribs and grooves running in one direction only, a casing surrounding these members,-a'nd a passage leading from the ends of the grooves of the first mentioned pair to the ends of the grooves of the pair at each side thereof.

7 A turbine engine, comprising a pair of cylindrical rotary members 4 each having helical ribs and grooves on its periphery, a second pair of rotary members similar to the first pair, and a casing surrounding these pairs of members having communicating bores allowing the ribs of one member to run-in the grooves of another, an inlet passage for air' adjacent the first pair of members, a dividing wall between the two pairs of members, a passage in said wall leading from below the point of meshing of one pair of members to a point above the oint of meshing on the other pair of mem ers and communicating with the ends of the grooves of each pair of members, the ribs of the rotary members being adapted to alternately close this passage, a fuel inlet in this passage, and an exhaust port communicating with "the ends of the grooves in the second mentioned pair of members.

8. A turbine engine, comprising a pair of cylindrical rotary members each having on its, periphery helical ribs and grooves diverging from an intermediate point, the ribs on one adaptedto mesh with the grooves of the other, similar pairs of rotary members, one pairon each side of the first mentioned members in axial alinement there-- with and rigidly connected thereto, a casing surrounding these' members having walls dividing the separate pairs and end walls closing the bores for' the end pairs of members, an inlet port adjacent the central point of the first mentioned. members and leading to a point where these members mesh, passages through the dividing walls at each end of these members leading from one side of the point of meshing to the other side of the point of meshing of the end pairs of rotary members and communicating with the grooves of each pair of members, an exhaust port through the casing communicating with the end grooves of the end pairs of members, and means for bringing fuel to the passages through the dividing walls.

9. A rotary turbine engine, comprising the-combination of a pair of substantially cylindrical rotary members each having helical peripheral ribs and grooves diverging in each direction from an intermediate point, a pair of similar cylindrical rotary members located at each side of the first mentioned rotary members in axial alinement therewith, shafts on which the alined rotary members are rigidly mounted, a casthe adjacent rotary members, and exhaust ports leading from these grooves.

10. A rotary turbine engine, comprising the combination of a pair of substantially cylindrical rotary members each having helical peripheral ribs and grooves diverging in each direction from an intermediate point,

a pair of similar rotary members located at each side of the first mentioned members and in alinement therewith, shafts on which the alined rotary members are rigidly mounted, a casing having cylindrical bores surrounding each of the rotary members, bearings in the casing for the shafts so positioned that the ribs of each rotary member 7 mesh with the grooves of the corresponding member, an inlet port in the casing leading to the, first mentioned rotary members, trans- I verse walls between the pairs of rotary members, passages in these walls communicating with the grooves of the intermediate pair of rotary members and with the grooves of pairs of membersat either side, end walls for the casing, annular grooves in these walls communicating with the peripheral grooves of the adjacent rotary members, ex-

iaeacaa haust ports leading from these grooves, gears on the shafts whereby they are caused to rotate in unison, and a pulley on one of the shafts.

11. In a turbine engine, the combination with a suitable casing, of two pairs of rotors, and a partition between the pairs having a part with which one of the rotors coacts to form a valve, one pair of rotors being adapted to compress air and the other pair being driven by the combustion of compressed fluid.

12. In a turbine engine, the combination with a casing, of two pairs of rotors therein, each rotor having helical ribs spaced by helical grooves, one pair of rotors being adapted to compress air,.the other pair being driven by the combustion of compressed fluid, a driving connection between one pair and-the other, and a partition between the pairs having a port with which one of the rotors co-acts to form a valve.

13. In a-turbine engine, the combination with a casing, of two pairs of rotors, one for compressing air and the other to be driven by combustible fluid, a driving connection between said rotors, a conduit from the compressing rotors to the driven rotors located within the means defining the ends of the chambers within which such rotors opcrate, whereby one of the rotors may co-act with the conduit to form a valve.

14. In a turbine engine, the combination of a pair of rotary members each having ribs and grooves on its periphery, the ribs of one member adapted to enter the grooves of another, a casing surrounding said rotary members having bores fitting the periphery of the ribs, an inlet port, rotary members for compressing the charge of air and discharging it through said port, thereafter closing the same, means for causingan electric spark adjacent this port, and an exhaust passage leading from the grooves of the rotary members.

15. In a turbine engine, the combination of a pair of rotary members each having ribs and grooves on its periphery, a casing surrounding said members and having an inlet port, said members being adapted to compress a charge of air, a second pair or of rotary members in axial alinement with the first pair and rigidly connected-there, with and having corresponding ribs and grooves, a passage for air leading from the first mentioned pair of members to the second mentioned pair of members, said first mentioned pair of members being adapted to alternately force air through this passage and close the same, and means for mixing fuel with the charge of air within said passage.

In testimony whereof, we hereunto afix our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES E. F. AHIJM. CLYDE E. GOGIIRAN. Witnesses: v

I. II. GRANT,

I J. 'I. WILKINSON. 

